Phillip: The “Star Form Experience,” this brilliant audio-visual art show, was the first time I’d ever heard your music. How did you and Jimi(Fortunephori) come up with this idea in the first place?

Sefu: Me and him were just having heart to hearts, and randomly stumbling across places and talking about ideas. It’s one of those things where your parent doesn’t tell you, ‘be careful, you’ll fall.’ Nobody was there so there was no fear of falling. We could go all out and trust that.

Phillip: I want to get into The Sword Drew Blood. Out of all of your albums, I think this has had the heaviest impact on me. What really surprised me was how heavily you ventured into this electronic world.

What drove that choice, that change-up in sound?

Sefu: I know why people like my music and what’ll make people gravitate towards my music. I’m not at a level where, “oh let’s just throw a trap beat and let’s do this flow.” It’s more like getting deep in your head or getting detached from the real world. It was just another one of those ‘leap of faith’ things.

Phillip: You and Chris(Christian Ellis) have three tracks together on TSDB. Does the headspace when you’re on your own, differ from when you’re working with other people?

How do you approach collaboration?

Sefu: Art is close to me and close to my heart. I don’t really get close to people unless I’m interested. I want to just be able to float, and trust that the energy we’re gonna create is naturally aligned- I don’t have to curate this experience. It’s like Ye on Yeezus where it’s like, this shit’s coming from everywhere and the features aren’t really noted but they just fit perfectly because obviously there was a connection and a direction.

Phillip: You can tell that the energy between y’all is mutual.

Phillip: There’s this recurring motif of swords within your work. Lyrically, you’ve said things like, “a couple chinks to the armor,” “sword shit living righteous,” “Sefu be as sharp as the sword.”

What attracts you to this theme?

Sefu: Sefu means “sword” in Swahili, so that was the baseline. Abraham[Sefu’s first album] was the least important sonically, but the most important as far as the protagonist and actually knowing who you’re listening to. That was the beginning of taking on “Sefu” and walking in a more artistic direction.

Phillip: You’ve referred to your work as “abstract expressionist.” Your music evokes strong imagery, and so do your paintings.

Did visual art or music come first to you?

Sefu: It’s always like an overlap. I don’t look at art as something that's ever a one-medium thing. It’s all mediums and all creation and all freestyling all the time. People get zoned in on their one medium and that just waters down their actual message.

Phillip: You’re definitely a multi-disciplinary artist. Are you a graphic design student?

Sefu: Fashion Design.

Phillip: Being independent is so important and you can really see that through your work, through your website. It’s all you; nobody’s pulling the strings.

Sefu: Yeah. I’m just trying to keep steady. I can’t even buy beer yet, so I’m just like “alright” so I can just be having my head down in that dry phase of the race.

Phillip: (Laughing) You’ve put out a lot of work while not even being able to buy beer. You’ve been very consistent in terms of your releases; just keep going.

Sefu: Thank you.

Phillip: You’ve had a busy 2023 with two albums, a feature, and probably a bunch of other shit that I don’t know about. Hell of A Life is such a beautiful track. It’s dope that their EP evolved from a collab between you, Jedos and Jaycinema.

How did you and Jay discover each other, and how did this relationship keep growing?

Sefu: I just remember connecting with people online and he was one of those people I felt were just genuine. Him and Chimezie were literally the two first people in this underground rap shit that embraced me.

Sefu: When people ask me questions like that, I’m like ‘damn I guess I didn’t think about how much that relationship,’ or how close it is to heart. It’s just like, time isn’t real when there’s real love and purity involved.

How long have you played basketball?

Sefu: I was one of those little kids bro, like my family thought I was going to the NBA. I wouldn’t say “playing basketball” but I would say I’ve had a ball in my hands since I was like- you know the NBA baby pictures?

Phillip: Yeah.

Sefu: Since then, but I didn’t start playing on some actual “I’m in the field with niggas who are actually going to the league,” level until middle school.

Sefu: I’m just glad that my skill level and my knowledge and my feeling, my intuition about basketball is where it is, because it helps me contextualize what I’m doing musically and artistically. If you apply it, and if you got the lesson you’re supposed to from it, it literally just helps you for the rest of your life.

What made you want to start making music?

Sefu: Literally since I was able to feel, see and perceive things, I know that music has been something that I just like. You can love basketball so much that you can walk out, just standing on the court just holding a ball, looking at the sky. If your really fuck with ball that much. You know what I mean? I felt like eventually I was gonna end up doing it. I’ve stepped back, I’ve peeped, I know everything. There’s no reason for me not to play.

Phillip: Right.

Phillip: Going back to samples- you have such a wide range of influence as far as voice notes, film clips and other songs. It was “ripamaud”- that “I’m a star” line from the movie Pearl. I never thought I’d hear that on a Sefu track!

Sefu: You know what’s crazy? I literally don’t know that movie. I saw a clip on some… Just hearing, seeing how I’m able to connect to people, and I don’t even have to say shit, I can just curate soundscapes and people can be like “I get you,” That’s shit’s crazy. That shit’s weird, I love it.

Phillip: “Stillmanic” is also tough.

Sefu: That trap in the middle, I always have to just stand up or turn that shit all the way up when the part comes on. I just like that song because it’s like that idea where everybody’s just in this masquerade just dancing and having a good time, then the trap comes on, and I be drinking and teeing up. Then throws you right into heartache and you remember what this album is about. And you remember life is shitty at this party. You remember ‘oh yeah somebody has to take me home.’ I just love that shit. I love vibe switches.

Phillip: Me too.

Phillip: I wanted to mention your mom and just your relationship with her. And it’s apparent that she’s played such a big role in your music. I really appreciate your vulnerability on just how she’s impacted you. It’s caused me, and probably many others to just cherish the present the present moment.

Do you ever feel fear or nerves about releasing work so close to your heart?

Sefu: Without a question. And I hate to be one of those artists because like who am I, and what level am I? But if it’s not? Don’t put that shit out. If it’s not where, it doesn’t feel so much of you, to where you’re taking a chunk of your physical body and giving it to niggas to piece out and eat amongst the people… and you gotta trust that that shit’s gonna heal back too. You gotta trust that it is just a chink in the armor. With me i feel like it is definitely Sweetheart [that] was the hardest one.

Phillip: Really?

Sefu: FNA is like a holistic, archetypal message. It’s a freedom, call-to action type... Sweetheart is a very introspective, walking back and forth in your crib in a small space, in the darkness at night. FNA was more polished, where I’m talking to you. Sweetheart is more like “Oh you’re listening?”

Phillip: “AIR” is so infectious.

Sefu: “AIR” is gonna be one of my favorite songs I’ve ever done, I swear. I love that beat so much. I think that sample is from a deep Ahmad Jamal cut.

How has your approach to these albums changed since “how to cry?”

Sefu: Honestly, I feel like as far as the tracklist? And as far as sequencing, I would damn near feel confident swapping out the artworks and saying this is How to Cry and this is Sweetheart. I guess my approach is different in the way I was producing with the SP instead of just straight laptop, straight FL. Just the way I was sampling shit- the way samples sound more raw and less polished. More analog sounds, more texture, more effects. As far as writing, it was like ‘I’m gonna wait and sit back till this whole soundscape is complete and flawless…’ I kind of had to wait and sit back and live. You know what I mean?

Phillip: Yeah.

Sefu: And I hope it sounds as crazy to you as it feels to me, because I’m just like I’m really trusting myself. And that’s why these feel so much closer to me. Because it helped me with my relationship with myself. You can’t try to perfect who you are because it’s never gonna be perfect. You just gotta be the best you in that moment of time…

Phillip: You definitely hear the growth.

Sefu: I really hope.

Phillip: It’s been a minute since the MARTYR music video.

Are you interested in dropping a music video for one of your recent albums?

Sefu: There’s been multiple times where I’ve tried to do music videos and it’s fell through. I do want to do music videos and I will. You gotta start somewhere. Like MARTYR? I used to think that the video was not… bro I look back at it and I’m like-

Phillip: That shit is hard.

Sefu: Like we really did that shit.

Phillip: Those edits are so crazy. I love that music video.

Sefu: I appreciate that.

Phillip: That’s about it for me. I appreciate your time, and once again, these two albums, the work you’ve put in this year is just incredible. I’m just looking forward to the future of your career. It’s dope

Sefu: Nah man, I appreciate it.

Phillip: Peace!

11.25.2023